adcoms that we trust part 3

We’ve sent shout-outs to a few bschool adcoms in previous post (here and here). Today we thought we’d toss another name onto the stack of adcoms whose policies we appreciate.

Granted, this is just EssaySnark’s opinion and is worth next to nothing. And, how an admissions office treats you really has very little bearing on what your experience will be like at the school itself. You, Brave Supplicant, need to go pound some pavement and form an opinion on this for yourself.

The admissions policies at Ross aren’t especially forgiving, nor is it in any way “easier” to get into Ross than other top schools. However, what EssaySnark truly appreciates is how straightforward and direct they are. They just seem like they’re playing fair.

To illustrate:

Can you apply to Ross straight out of college? No. They won’t even take your app.Ross wants you to have some work experience first. Why would EssaySnark feel this is a positive thing? Because ROSS IS CUT AND DRIED ABOUT IT. They don’t just accept apps from college kids who they have no intention of admitting (as we suspect some other schools tend to do). Same thing with kids applying straight after graduating; in this case, they’ll accept your app, but they tell you up front that it’s really tough to get in.

Do you have to be a straight-A student to get into Ross? No — and in fact, they tell you that “Most admitted students have GPAs of 3.0” which is a really encouraging thing to say! Many schools don’t publish anything about average GPA or expectations for a qualified applicant; they just reject people they don’t feel can hack it (some schools seem even a little snobby about what type of GPA they’ll accept).

Do Michigan residents get a financial break at Ross? Yes — a fairly significant one, of a $5,000 per year discount. Some State schools don’t offer in-state residents any break at all (they consider bschool a profit center that supports other parts of the University — fair enough, in such difficult economic times when education funding is far from generous in many places).

Can you actually talk to someone in Ross admissions before applying? YES. This from their FAQ: “Prospective students can schedule 15-minute counseling appointments with the staff where we can answer questions about the program.” What other school does THAT?

We like lots of other things about the Ross curriculum and approach too — they are one of the pioneers in social venture/doing-well-by-doing-good. They were at it long before it was trendy. Check out Ross. They’re an often-overlooked program that we think is really worthwhile.

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

Want EssaySnark's personal assistance with your MBA applications? Start with our menu of consulting services and please read the Help FAQ to learn how we operate. Still have questions after doing all that? Email Team EssaySnark at gethelpnow at essaysnark dot com.